Description of the collaborative
In March 2021, the Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICIR), with assistance from the Washtenaw Health Department, the Michigan Immigrant Right Center (MIRC), and volunteers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, helped distribute KN95 masks, hand sanitizer, and legal information at Dos Hermanos Mercado in Ypsilanti.
The collaborative focused their efforts on locations where members of the Spanish-speaking community frequented to distribute as many supplies as possible. They also took supplies to front-line workers on job sites.
Distributing supplies enabled the advocates to reach a population that traditionally lives and works in close quarters and may not have access to PPE. Latino residents make up 5 percent of Washtenaw County’s population.
In addition, the MIRC handed out fliers with legal information. Further, into the pandemic, this collaboration worked to increase vaccine availability and uptake in the Latino community.
Participiating organizations
- Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Project Lead
- Washtenaw County Health Department
- Dos Hermanos Mercado
- University of Michigan School of Public Health
- Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC)
Impact on community health
- Delivered PPE (masks and hand sanitizer) to the Latino community
- Distributed the materials in the language of the community (Spanish)
- Mobilized efforts to deliver PPE to places where the Spanish-speaking community frequented, as well as job sites for those on the frontline